‘Twas mere weeks before the 9th annual Calgary International Film Festival and all through their newly renovated townhouse, (complete with Jacuzzi tub and backyard BBQ) the staff aren’t just stirring – they’re multi-tasking, cross checking, fact finding, conference calling and guest- booking all while keeping a cool reserve with the knowledge that one of Calgary’s largest cultural events is fast approaching and there’s plenty to do meeting public expectations before opening gala night.
Calgarians can look forward to well over 200 films from around the world during the festival’s ten-day run including 19 feature length narrative films from Canada, an eclectic mix of short films including the latest collection of Albertan shorts compiled by local film Pooh-Bah Louis B. Hobson, vintage screenings of some old favorites, film spotlights on various exotic countries, the ever-popular Hump Night returns with its focus on sexuality on screen, and even a night of films that focus on fashion!
Last year’s big queer draw was the film Breakfast with Scot which was the first major film to be endorsed by the Toronto Maple Leafs and was close to a sell-out crowd. This year, Calgary Intertantional’s intrepid group of programmers promise not to disappoint.
The Argentinean drama XXY has been getting critical and audience acclaim at festivals around the globe including two awards at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. It deals with the issues faced by intersexed teenagers from a fictional perspective.
“XXY is an incredible film with mass appeal,” says Brenda Lieberman, Programmer for Contemporary World Cinema and Late Shows. “It’s a topic that might come off a bit shocking for most audiences just because it’s a topic that we don’t merely hear much about. Not only that, but that it’s from the perspective of this 15 year old child.”
Before Lieberman joined the staff at CIFF, she produced the Fairy Tales Gay & Lesbian Film Festival for six years, so she has a pretty good idea what the queer community will find interesting.
“Another really good film that deals with unfamiliar territory is The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela,” Lieberman says. “The main character really captures your attention and draws you in, and it’s told in documentary style which makes her journey even more interesting. The film really shows you a lot about the lives of transsexual prostitutes in the Phillipines and their struggles to escape their lives, and allows viewers to share in their dreams of escape to a better life.” Lieberman isn’t alone in her fond feelings towards the film. It received the coveted Teddy Award at this year’s Berlin Film Festival for Best Feature Film.
But if you’re looking for something that’s truly a documentary instead of just resembling one, then Trevor Smith, Documentary Programmer for CIFF couldn’t recommend more the film MeadowLark by Taylor Greeson. “It’s simply awesome”, says Smith. “It’s essentially this UCLA student final project told in a personal video diary style exploring the filmmaker’s own past and his journey of coming out at the age of 12 when he had sex with a 20 year old man but also the unsettling murder of his brother. I usually hate these kind of films for their self-indulgence but this one works because it has universal themes of acceptance, it’s dreamy and poetic and it’s just a great film – one of my favorites actually, and then it ends with the filmmaker confronting his brother’s killer in prison.”
If you’re looking for something a little lighter in tone, you can always check out the remastered print of the Audrey Hepburn classic, Breakfast at Tiffany’s based on the novel by Truman Capote or the 1945 Gene Tierney classic noir Leave Her to Heaven restored recently by Martin Scorsese’s non-profit film restoration project . Fall in love with Audrey and Gene all over again (plus that baby faced George Peppard was no slouch either). If only they could remaster the dated and horribly offensive racist portrayal by Mickey Rooney as Holly Golightly’s Chinese landlord.
There are many films and special guests that might appeal to a queer audience even if the film’s subject matter may not be as overt as some of the others. Dave Schultz’s new comedy 45rpm features a cute tomboy by the name of “Luke” who along with her friend, tries to escape their small town existence by wining a radio contest. The hotty actor who played Cedric in the Harry Potter movie franchise (Robert Pattinson) stars in the quirky British comedy How To Be. Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy) knows how to make films that push the sexual boundaries and he’s doing it again with Zack and Miri Make A Porno which is already in controversial waters for its graphic sex, nudity and language. Transsexual misadventures and mistaken identities abound in the Indie comedy Who is KK Downey? And any fashionista will not want to miss the entertaining Eleven Minutes, a documentary about Jay McCarroll designer winner of Project Runway and his journey towards stardom in the fashion industry.
Special guests at this year’s festival include actor/writer Don McKellar (The Event) who will be presenting Blindness, this year’s opening gala film starring Julianne Moore which he adapted from the screenplay based on the novel by Jose Saramango about a small group of survivors of a universal plague of blindness and the one woman who can lead them to safety.
For a list of all the films, showtimes and venues for the 9th Annual Calgary International Film Festival please visit their website, listed below.
Calgary International Film Festival
September 19th – 28th, 2008
www.calgaryfilm.com
